


Hello, Nurse Emily Speaking

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F, Halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-08
Updated: 2014-05-08
Packaged: 2018-01-23 23:41:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1583693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erin was just getting used to the idea of spending Halloween alone when an unexpected visitor arrives on her doorstep. Will she be able to accept the prescription for her sadness that her visitor offers?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello, Nurse Emily Speaking

Erin blew out the candles that flickered in the set of jack-o-lanterns on her porch. While she didn't want to admit it, Halloween was her favorite time of the year. Cool enough to wear sweaters, but not cold enough for heavy winter coats, the scent of crisp air and leaves mingling with spices, and the chance to be someone else for an evening combined to fill her with a sense of hope and wonder that things could be different. And different was what she needed in her life at the moment.

Alex Blake had burst the fragile bubble that was her relationship with Dave. She had thought that something like that might happen, and then, one evening, Dave had taken her out to dinner and broken up with her. It was quite clever, really, that he had done so in public, where she couldn't make a scene or cry. That had come later, in her bedroom, her head buried in her pillow. Their breakup had also signaled to his team that all bets were off, and the others had retreated into treating her with cold indifference.

She should have been used to it, but without the false protection of alcohol, their treatment of her cut to the bone. She would never admit that, but it ate at her heart. Only Ms. Garcia seemed to see beneath the façade she wore daily, and she tried to be kind. It was surreptitious, though, as if she knew that her friends would put the kibosh on it, if they knew what she was doing.

And so, here she was, alone on Halloween. It had been fun to hand out candy to the children of her neighborhood, even if she had seriously overestimated how many there would be. She had bouquets of Blow Pops left over and she knew she would be eating the suckers for months to come. Erin closed the door and turned off her porch light, determined to curl up on the couch with Needful Things.

She had just gotten sucked into the story once more when there came a soft knocking on her front door. Erin glanced at her watch and saw that it was half past nine, much too late for trick-or-treaters. Sighing, she got up, throwing the blanket to one side before setting her book on the coffee table.

The short distance to her door had her hearing the knocking become more insistent, and this made her frown a little, wondering who was interrupting her one night to just be. Looking out the side window, she saw a woman standing there, in one of those slutty nurse costumes, and hesitantly opened the door. "Can I help you?"

Emily Prentiss's face slowly came into view as the woman lifted her head to look at her. "Hi. I didn't know where else to go. They have no room for me any longer."

Erin knew immediately what she was talking about and ushered the woman in. "And so you came to see the other outcast?"

"Well, Garcia did mention something about how Rossi had dropped you after that Blake woman had joined the team. I'm sorry."

"Why?" Erin asked as they settled in the living room, pulling the blanket back over her legs.

"It seemed like you two were really good together." Emily shrugged a little. "You looked happy. It was the first time I had really seen you happy." The woman tugged at her skirt, trying to make it longer. "I wanted to surprise them, knowing how PG always throws a great party on Halloween. This is something I would never wear, so I thought it would be a funny joke. Turns out the joke is on me."

Erin reached out and clasped Emily's hand lightly. "It hurts to know that," she said lowly, running her thumb back and forth across Emily's hand.

"It does." They let a natural silence descend upon them, Emily not letting Erin's hand go. Soon, a delicious tension filled the room, and Erin wondered which of them would make the first move. She was no innocent when it came to desire, she and Alan had indulged in enough ménage a trois to know that she liked the feel of a woman's body next to hers, and Emily was throwing off signals even a blind person would be able to pick up on.

"I'm heading back to London on Friday."

"And?"

"You're going to throw me out, too?" There was a little disappointment, a little sorrow, in the woman's voice, and Erin shook her head. "Then what?"

"And what would you like to do?" Emily looked into her eyes, smiling a little.

"I don't know, really. I just want to feel something before I head back over to London. Will you be the one who makes me feel?"

Erin nodded and stood up, holding out her hand to Emily. She took it and Erin led her upstairs to her bedroom. Flipping on the light, she looked around her room, focusing on the basket of clothes she hadn't put away yet, the bed she hadn't made in the morning. "Sorry about the mess. I wasn't expecting company this evening."

"It's how my room usually looks, Erin. Don't worry about it." Emily closed the door behind her, a feral grin on her face. Stepping forward, she pulled the neckline of her dress further apart. "Now, is there anything this nurse can help you with?"

Her voice was so seductive, and Erin shivered a little. "Maybe my nurse could put a band aid on my broken heart? I can't seem to reach it," she replied, biting her fingertip as she tried not to smile at Emily.

"That might take some exploration, to find the proper course of treatment for so grievous a wound as a broken heart." Erin nodded as Emily stepped forward to tug at the hemline of her sweater. Her long fingers skimmed along the skin of Erin's stomach as she tugged the garment up her body, throwing it to the ground. "Hmm, I don't see anything here that would indicate a problem."

"Perhaps you should look further."

Emily nodded and unzipped her skirt, letting it fall to the floor. Erin stepped out of it, doing a little turn for Emily. "Well, things are starting to become clearer here. I might need to do a more hands on examination." She made quick work of Erin's bra and panties before grinning puckishly at her. "Now, let's get you over to the bed to check things out."

Erin sat on the mattress, looking up at Emily. "Would you like me to lay back?"

"That would make things easier, yes." Nodding, she reclined on the bed, watching Emily kneel on the bed next to her. Hesitantly, she cupped her breasts, thumbing the nipples absently as her eyes closed. "You feel soft and lovely, no signs of a broken heart here." Bending down, she placed a soft kiss on each nipple.

Erin sighed, feeling the air of melancholia descend upon them once more. "Please, don't be sad, Emily. You have so much to live for, so much ahead of you."

"That's kind of you to say. However, I fear that the best years of my life are behind me. I couldn't commit, not to friends or lovers or places, and that cost me my life here." Emily stretched out alongside her, her hand rubbing her stomach absently. "And now, I'm going to be running away to England, hoping to build a new life that I won't run away from this time."

"Then put down roots. Buy a home, adopt a child. Do something that will give you a reason to stay." Erin was surprised when Emily kissed her passionately, tugging her close. "Emily?"

"Nothing." She kissed her once more, her hands running down her back to cup her ass, squeezing gently. Erin moaned into Emily's mouth, letting the woman's tongue in to duel with hers as she made quick work of the easy access fastenings of Emily's costume, pushing it off her shoulders. The woman was wearing nothing more than a garter belt beneath the dress and she smiled against Emily's mouth as they pulled and tugged the costume off.

"I think that this is helping me a little," she murmured when they had broken the kiss. "Is it helping you?" Emily nodded, nipping her chin lightly before pressing soft, open mouthed kisses down her neck and upper chest. Erin arched into her mouth, loving the soft feel of her lips on her skin.

"I think that it is helping me," she murmured as she made her way to her breasts. Erin could only moan lightly as Emily slowly licked and sucked on a stiff, aching, nipple. "And those sounds you make, Erin, could make anyone feel amazing."

She nodded and buried a hand in Emily's dark hair, holding her close to her breast. There was something so deliciously lovely and sweet about the way that Emily suckled her, trying to bring her the most pleasure, and she sighed and moaned at the gentle touches. She felt Emily's knee knock against her thigh and she spread her legs, letting the other woman fit her leg in there. Erin ground her hips against Emily's leg, needing the friction against her throbbing clit. Her companion ground against her own leg and Erin could feel the heady relief build up in her body.

"Erin!" Emily cried out as she orgasmed, and Erin felt herself fall over the edge as well, tightening her grip on Emily's waist as she rode out her pleasure. They collapsed onto each other, Erin running her fingers through Emily's long hair. "Thank you," the woman murmured as she kissed her delicately.

"You're welcome." They fell asleep in moments, Erin never letting go of Emily.

* * *

In the morning, Erin woke up first, looking at Emily tenderly. It had been a surprise to find her on her doorstep last night, that was for sure. But it had turned into something wonderful, in the end. As if she could feel eyes on her, Emily blinked a few times before giving her a lazy smile. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Emily." She leaned in for a kiss and sighed against Emily's lips softly as their kiss deepened. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in months. There's something about you that makes me feel settled."

Erin smiled as she sat up. It had been a long time since anyone had told her that she made them feel settled, comfortable, and she wanted to savor that moment for all it was worth. "What would you like to do today?" she asked shyly, hoping they would end up spending time together.

"Maybe we could go see a movie together? I kind of want to see Argo, and haven't had a chance to do so yet. Would you mind?"

Erin shook her head. "I've wanted to see that movie, too. You can wear something of mine to the movie theater. I didn't see you bring in a bag."

"I left it in my car. I'll run down and get it if you want to take a shower before breakfast."

"All right." Emily kissed her once more before getting out of bed and grabbing Erin's robe off the dresser door and pulling it around her body. Erin watched her leave before standing and stretching, grabbing an outfit for the day before heading into the shower. By the time she was finished, Emily was sitting on her bed, fully dressed.

"There's still about two hours before the movie starts. Do you want to head out to breakfast first instead?" She nodded and held out her hand to the other woman. As she clasped her hand, Erin led her downstairs and into the foyer. Picking up her purse, she shoved her phone inside and then went out to the garage. "Actually, my car is parked in front of the garage. Would you mind if I drove?"

"That would be perfectly fine, Emily." They smiled gently at each other, and Erin felt a slight blush darken her cheeks. They went outside and Erin locked the door before getting in the car. Their drive was short, and Erin felt herself relaxing as they pulled into the parking lot of Mullins Café. She had always loved this place, and the couple who ran it.

The hostess sat them in minutes and Erin stared at the menu, trying to decide what she wanted. Pamela came up with her coffee, setting it before her as she looked at Emily. "And what can I get you, dear?"

"Coffee will be fine." The woman nodded and moved off, and Emily cocked her head, smiling at Erin. "So, how often do you come here to have them know your drink order?"

Her blush returned as she took a sip of the coffee. "I stop in at least twice a week before work. I met the owner in rehab and we struck up a friendship."

"I see." She rested her head on her hand and stared at her as a comfortable silence fell around them. When Pamela returned with Emily's coffee, she took their order and left them alone. "So, what other facets have you kept hidden from us?"

"I had to keep my heart hidden." Her reply was quick, and she knew that Emily would want more of an explanation than that. "I wish I could give you more, I really do. But I haven't found the answers myself yet. I didn't start out like the harridan I became by the time you joined the Bureau. Your mother can tell you that."

To her mortification, a few tears began to slip down her cheeks and she reached up to wipe them away. "Maybe it's because you never developed a thick enough skin to deal with what you saw. I could compartmentalize thanks to my time with Interpol. You never had that experience, and it haunted you, didn't it?"

Erin nodded and reached across the table for Emily's hand, needing the comfort she knew the woman would offer her. The time passed lightly between them as a natural conversation began to flow. They talked all the way out to the car and to the movie theater. Both bypassed the snack counter to head right into the theater, choosing a seat near the top.

The previews held little interest for Erin, and so she focused on Emily, hoping that they would hold hands once more during the movie. There was something calming about the other woman's touch and she longed for a little bit of calm in her life at the moment. The lights darkened as the movie began and Erin decided to throw caution to the wind and reached over for Emily's hand.

She clasped it tightly, and their hands stayed entwined throughout the entire running time of the movie. When it was over, she turned to Emily and found her looking into her eyes. Emily closed the distance between them, kissing her delicately. "Would you come home with me?" she murmured softly. "Home to London?"

"Oh, Emily, I wish that I could." She reached up and touched Emily's cheek softly before standing and holding out her hand once more. "Come, let's head back."

She couldn't look at Emily, as she could feel tears prickle at her eyes and knew that she would start crying if she kept looking at her. "I'm just going to drop you off and then head to my hotel room…"

"No!" The intensity of her outcry startled her, and she whirled around to face Emily, letting the tears fall. "No, I told you that you could stay. Please, don't feel like you have to leave. I just cannot pack up and go. My children are here, Emmy, and my youngest isn't set to graduate for two more years."

A sweet hope began to light the woman's eyes as she nodded. "And maybe in two years, I could be ready to come back here. There's always vacation time. And Skype. Right?"

"I've heard about the benefits of Skype, yes. You know, I told myself I wanted something different in my life about ten minutes before you showed up on my doorstep. I wonder if this is Fate's way of saying that different can be just as sweet as familiar?"

"Maybe so, Erin." They continued out to the car, hand in hand, and she hated having to let go of that warm comfort for the length of the drive home. Once more, Emily parked in her drive and they went inside. The light was blinking on her answering machine, but she decided to ignore it in order to focus on her short time with Emily. This was going to be an interesting roller coaster of a relationship, but deep in her heart, she knew that she wanted to explore where it was going. "So, England is five hours ahead of here, so we should set up a time to talk to each other."

"Only five hours? That's not so very much. I could call you at five my time, that way it wouldn't be too late for you."

"And if we wanted to have a more…intimate conversation?" Emily asked as they sat on the couch. Erin thought for a moment, cuddling into her side, letting her arm tug her close as she rested her head on Emily's chest.

"Then we could schedule a better time for conversations of that nature." Emily nodded against her head before beginning to stroke her hair lightly. Erin sighed deeply, feeling contentment steal over her once more. "What are you going to tell the others?"

"That I found someone who makes me happy. They shut me out, why should I let them in on my happiness?"

"They're your friends, Emily."

"And you are my lover. If they don't like that, I am more than willing to tell them where they can put their opinions." She felt soft lips press against her temple and Erin snuggled her face into Emily's chest. "When I call, I'm going to say 'Hello, Nurse Emily speaking', okay?"

She laughed a little as she nodded. "That would be fine."

"Good." Emily turned on the television, flipping through the channels until she found something that interested her. Despite her best efforts, Erin found herself being lulled to sleep under the gentle ministrations of Emily's hands. "Go to sleep, Erin. I'll be here when you wake up, and we can decide on supper." She nodded heavily and let herself go to sleep. She trusted Emily enough to be there when she woke from her nap, and that a different future would be within her grasp. The last thing she felt was a gentle kiss to her forehead and she smiled, eager to take that next step.


End file.
